Josh Newton Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: TCU

Class: Senior

Position: CB

HT: 5’11

WT: 190 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #78

Background: Josh Newton was a player that did not receive the same attention as his peers did from Power 5 schools. He was not even a cornerback in high school, he was strictly a wide receiver. He was not even regarded as a top 400 wide receiver in the country and received a 2-star rating. He is from Monroe, Louisiana, where he went to Ouachita Parish High School. He earned first team all-district honors as a senior after being more than productive at the wide receiver position. He was not drawing any interest on a national scale and he chose to stay home and play for Louisiana Monroe.

College: Newton redshirted his first season and by his 2nd season, he transitioned to cornerback and became a starter for ULM. He registered two pass breakups in his first season as a starting cornerback. In his 3rd season at ULM, Newton played in 10 games and led the team with 5 pass breakups. As a junior, he once again led the team in pass breakups and was outgrowing the competition that ULM faced on a weekly basis. Before the 2022 season, Newton transferred to TCU. He became a focal point of a secondary that helped lead TCU to the national championship game. Josh Newton had a prolific 2023 season as the CB1 for the Horned Frogs. He snagged one interception and had 6 pass breakups on the season.

Strengths: Newton is an explosive athlete who can cover all areas of the field due to excellent movement skills and athleticism. He is an excellent mover in the deep areas of the field, able to transition from his backpedal to a sprint without losing a step to his man. As his statistics have shown, Newton is excellent at tracking the football; he is a ballhawk. He tracks the ball well and turns his head around quickly to either break up the pass or create a turnover. Newton uses his plus size to initiate physicality with the wide receiver close to the line of scrimmage. Newton will always make sure to jam his man hard and not give up an inch. His size and movement skills within tight quarters also make him an excellent candidate to play anywhere in the secondary, including nickel.

Weaknesses: Newton has great size, but he plays a bit small. While he would project perfectly as a nickel, it is hard to see a world where he can consistently jam the NFL’s top X receivers. He is not strong enough or long enough to do so. At the top of routes or at the break, Newton leaves too much space between himself and his man, allowing the quarterback enough room to get the ball to his target.

Scheme Fit: Man Coverage

Ideal Role: Nickel

Best Team Fits: LAR, MIN, TEN

Player Comparison: Asante Samuel Jr.

Player Grade: 78.5